The group's original musical style was a mixture of Dirty South and G-Funk. Since then funk, soul, pop, electronic music, rock, spoken word poetry, jazz, and blues have been added to the group's musical palette. The duo consists of Atlanta native André "Andre 3000" Benjamin (formerly known as Dré) and Georgia-born Antwan "Big Boi" Patton.
Speakerboxxx/The Love Below is one of only four hip-hop albums to be certified Diamond in the U.S. for shipping over 10 million units. Along with Outkast's commercial success, they have maintained an experimental approach in their music and are widely praised for their originality and artistic content.
Benjamin and Patton met while attending Tri-Cities High School, a Visual and Performing Arts School. Benjamin's parents were divorced and he was living with his father. Meanwhile, Patton had to move with his four brothers and six sisters from Savannah to Atlanta. Benjamin and Patton eventually teamed up and were pursued by Organized Noize, a group of local producers who would later make hits for TLC. The duo initially wanted to be called "2 Shades Deep" or "The Misfits", but because those names were already taken they later decided to use "OutKast" based on finding "outcast" as synonym for "misfit" in a dictionary. OutKast, Organized Noize, and schoolmates Goodie Mob formed the nucleus of the Dungeon Family organization.
OutKast signed to LaFace Records in 1992, becoming the label's first hip hop act and making their first appearance on the remix of label mate TLC's "What About Your Friends". In 1993, they released their first single, "Player's Ball". The song's funky style, much of it accomplished with live instrumentation, was a hit with audiences. "Player's Ball" hit number-one on the Billboard Hot Rap Tracks chart.
Their debut album, Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik, was issued on April 26th, 1994. This initial effort is credited with laying the foundation for southern hip hop and is considered a classic by many hip hop aficionados. Every track on Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik was produced by Organized Noize and featured other members of the Dungeon Family. Follow-up singles included the title track and "Git Up Git Out", a politically charged collaboration with Goodie Mob that was later sampled by Macy Gray for her 1999 hit "Do Something." On this early material, both André and Big Boi contrast lyrical content reflecting the lifestyles of pimps and gangsters with politically conscious material commenting on the status of African Americans in the South. OutKast won Best New Rap Group at the Source Awards in 1995. In the same year, the group contributed "Benz or a Beamer" to the popular New Jersey Drive soundtrack.
ATLiens was OutKast's second album, released on August 27th, 1996. The album exhibited more self-consciousness, and further solidified OutKast as the flagship representatives of the 1st generation Dungeon Family and the Southern hip hop movement. The album helped the group earn more recognition among East Coast hip hop fans in the East and West coasts.
For this album, OutKast joined with partner David "Mr. DJ" Sheats to form the Earthtone III production company, which allowed the group to produce some of their own tracks. "ATLiens" was the group's second Top 40 single (following "Player's Ball" from their first album), and reflected the beginning of André's increasingly sober lifestyle: "No drugs or alcohol/so I can get the signal clear," he rhymes about himself. "Elevators (Me & You)," OutKast's first self-produced single, became the group's first Top 20 hit the same year.
OutKast's third album Aquemini was released on September 29, 1998 and also reached the number-two position on the Billboard 200 album chart in the United States; its title was a combination of the zodiac signs of Big Boi (an Aquarius) and André (a Gemini). The album was widely praised as possibly the group's best material to date: when reviewed by popular hip-hop publication The Source, it received the much-coveted "5 Mics" (out of five) rating.
Producing more material themselves, both Big Boi and André explored more eclectic subject matter, delving into sounds inspired by soul, trip hop, and electro music. The album featured production by Organized Noize and collaborations with Raekwon, funk pioneer and musical forebear George Clinton, and Goodie Mob.
In 1999, OutKast and LaFace Records were sued by Rosa Parks over the album's most successful radio single, which bore Parks' name as its title. The lawsuit alleged that the song misappropriated Parks' name, and also objected to some of the song's obscene language.
The song's lyrics were largely unrelated to Parks, save for a line in the chorus: "Ah ha, hush that fuss / Everybody move to the back of the bus". The song, which OutKast maintained was intended partly as homage, only refers to Parks as a metaphor: the purpose of the song's chorus is to imply that OutKast is overturning hip hop's old order, that people should make way for a new style and sound. The initial lawsuit was dismissed. Parks' representation hired lawyer Johnnie Cochran to appeal the decision in 2001, but the appeal was denied on First Amendment grounds. In 2003, the Supreme Court allowed Parks' lawyers to proceed with the lawsuit.
In 2004, the judge in the case appointed an impartial representative for Parks after her family expressed concerns that her caretakers and her lawyers were pursuing the case based on their own financial interest. Later that same year, the members of OutKast were dropped as co-defendants, and Parks' lawyers continued to seek action against LaFace and parent company BMG. In 2003 André told UK journalist Angus Batey that, following a Detroit concert in the midst of the legal battle, relatives of Parks had approached him and implied that the case was less to do with Rosa than with the lawyers. The suit was finally settled on April 14, 2005, with neither OutKast nor their label having to admit any wrongdoing. The group did, however, have to agree to perform some sort of tribute to Parks.
Originally titled "Sandbox", the pair's fourth album, "Stankonia", was released in October 2000 to excellent reviews. It debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 in the U.S., and would eventually be certified quadruple-platinum. Stankonia's first single was "B.O.B. (Bombs Over Baghdad)", a high-tempo jungle-influenced record. The second single, "Ms. Jackson," combined a pop hook with lyrics about divorce and relationship breakups, particularly André's breakup with singer Erykah Badu; the titular "Ms. Jackson" character being a doppelgänger for Badu's mother. It was at this time that André changed his stage name to the current "André 3000".
The single became their first pop hit, landing the number-one position on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and the number-two position on the UK Singles Chart. The album's final single was the Organized Noize-produced "So Fresh, So Clean", featuring a credited guest appearance from regular guest vocalist and Organized Noize-member Sleepy Brown and garnered a remix featuring Snoop Dogg. All three singles' videos had heavy MTV2 airplay, and Outkast won two 2001 Grammy Awards, one for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group for "Ms. Jackson", and another for Stankonia as Best Rap Album.
During the recording of Stankonia, OutKast and Mr. DJ began producing tracks for the artists on their Aquemini Records imprint through Columbia, including Slimm Cutta Calhoun and Killer Mike, who made his debut on Stankonia's "Snappin' & Trappin."
Webzine Pitchforkmedia.com named Stankonia the 4th greatest album released between 2000 and 2004 in its 2005 feature. In 2009, B.O.B. was chosen as the number one song of the decade.
In December 2001, OutKast released a greatest hits album, Big Boi and Dre Present...OutKast, which also contained three new tracks. One of these new tracks was the single "The Whole World," which won a 2002 Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group. Killer Mike also was featured on the song, gaining some exposure among areas outside of his native Atlanta. The other two new songs were called "Funkin' Around" and "Movin' Cool (The After Party)"
The same year OutKast participated in the only Dungeon Family group album, Even in Darkness, along with Goodie Mob, Killer Mike, Sleepy Brown, Witchdoctor, and Backbone among others, and featuring Bubba Sparxxx, Shuga Luv and Mello. In 2002, the group and Killer Mike contributed the lead single "Land of a Million Drums" to the Scooby Doo soundtrack.
In September 2003, OutKast released a double album, Speakerboxxx/The Love Below. It is essentially two solo albums, one by each member, packaged as a single release under the OutKast banner; the two members also appear on each others' discs for a few songs apiece. Big Boi's Speakerboxxx is largely a funk and Dirty South blended party record; André 3000's The Love Below features only brief instances of hip hop, presenting instead elements found in funk, jazz, rock, electronic music, and R&B.
The album is also OutKast's biggest commercial success yet, having debuted on the Billboard 200 albums chart at number-one and stayed there for several weeks. The album eventually sold over five million copies, and, as double-album sales count double for Recording Industry Association of America certification, the album was certified diamond for 10 million units shipped in December 2004. Its latest certification, in May 2006, reaches 11 million copies in shipping.
The first two singles from the album(s), which were released nearly simultaneously, were Big Boi's "The Way You Move" and André 3000's "Hey Ya!" The video for "Hey Ya!" is based on The Beatles' landmark appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show. The video's storyline has "The Love Below"—a fictional band with all members, through the use of special effects, played by André—performing in London. "Hey Ya!" was the number one song on the very final weekend of American Top 40 with Casey Kasem. It was also number one a week later on the very first weekend of American Top 40 with Ryan Seacrest. The singles spent ten weeks at number one on the Hot 100 singles chart, with "Hey Ya!" spending nineteen weeks and "The Way You Move" briefly taking over in February 2004. These singles were seen as a breakthrough for the hip-hop industry, being among the first hip-hop songs to be widely played on adult contemporary radio stations.
OutKast's next official single was not released until the summer of 2004. "Roses", a track featuring both members from The Love Below half of the album, did not meet the level of success as either of its predecessors, but it became a modest-sized hit on urban radio and the American music video networks. The video for "Roses" is loosely based on the musical West Side Story and Grease. It featured sparring 1950s-style gangs, one representing Speakerboxxx, and one representing The Love Below, parodying the widespread arguing among critics and fans as to which half of the album was better and that the two members were estranged. The final singles were André 3000's "Prototype", which was paired with a science fiction-themed video about alien visitors, and Speakerboxxx's "Ghettomusick," which featured both members of OutKast and a sample from a song by Patti LaBelle, who also makes an appearance in the video.
Speakerboxxx/The Love Below won the Grammy Award for the 2004 Album of the Year, becoming only the second rap album to ever receive the honor (the first being The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill by Lauryn Hill in 1999). OutKast was one of the headlining acts at the show, and gave two performances: Big Boi performed "The Way You Move" during a medley with George Clinton & P-Funk and Robert Randolph and the Family Band, while André 3000 performed "Hey Ya!" as the show closed. In February 2004, André 3000's performance, which featured female dancers moving wildly around a green teepee in war paint and feathered headdresses, was criticized by the Native American Cultural Center, who called for a boycott of OutKast, Arista Records, NARAS, and of CBS, the broadcaster of the awards show. CBS later apologized.
Between OutKast albums, Big Boi and André 3000 ventured into film projects. André co-starred in John Singleton's action film Four Brothers and also had a part in Be Cool, while Big Boi took a featured role in the T.I. movie ATL. Both members also began working on a joint film, Idlewild, directed by OutKast music video director Bryan Barber. Idlewild, a Prohibition-era musical film set to a blues-influenced hip-hop soundtrack, was released on August 25, 2006 by Universal Pictures. The Idlewild soundtrack was released August 22, 2006. Its lead single, "Mighty 'O'", features both OutKast members, and was briefly played exclusively on local Atlanta radio stations before being issued as a single in May 2006. They released and shot the video for "Morris Brown" instead. A video for "Idlewild Blue (Don'tchu Worry About Me)" soon followed.
Aquemini Records folded in 2004, and Big Boi founded a new record label, Purple Ribbon Entertainment, to be distributed by Virgin Records. Among its first signees were Sleepy Brown, Bubba Sparxxx, and Killer Mike, Big Boi has released a group album/compilation, titled Big Boi Presents... The Purple Ribbon All-Stars - Got Purp? Vol. 2.
One album remains on the band's LaFace contract. It was originally planned as a ten-track release called 10 The Hard Way; shortly after Idlewild was released, the duo confirmed the album is still in the works, though both have begun new projects without releasing any new information on the album. Due to both Big Boi and André's interest in separate projects such as movies, TV (André's Class of 3000) and solo albums, rumors of a split have turned up frequently in the media. André denied those rumors in a phone interview with MTV News, stating that even though they do not feel like performing on stage together, OutKast is "still tight". In an August, 2006, interview with UK journalist Craig McLean, after emphasizing that they would not split, the pair looked beyond music and film careers, Big Boi suggesting he may consider running for the job of Mayor of Atlanta in the future.
In 2007, Andre 3000 confirmed a new OutKast album would be released, but said that he and Big Boi released solo records first, stating the group album is still possibly two years away. Big Boi's solo album will be released first in June/July of 2009, with the first single, "Royal Flush" (also featuring Andre 3000, essentially making it an OutKast song), planned to have been released on December 31, 2007, but was not released on the announced date. Big Boi announced on his MySpace that the release date for Sir Luscious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty is now sometime in the summer of 2009.
On Nov 14, 2008, the Guardian reported that OutKast will release their follow-up to Idlewild in 2009 after Big Boi and Andre 3000 release their solo albums in the same year. As of August 2009, the albums have not yet been released.
Bombs Over Baghdad
OutKast Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
1, 2... 1, 2, 3; yeah!
In-slum-national, underground
Thunder pounds when I stomp the ground (Woo!)
Like a million elephants and silverback orangutans
You can't stop a train
Who want some? Don't come un-prepared
I'll be there, but when I leave there
Weather man tellin' us it ain't gon' rain
So now we sittin' in a drop-top, soaking wet
In a silk suit, tryin' not to sweat
Hit somersaults without the net
But this'll be the year that we won't forget
One-Nine-Nine-Nine, Anno Domini, anything goes, be whatchu wanna be
Long as you know consequences are given for livin'
The fence is too high to jump in jail
Too low to dig, I might just touch hell
HOT! Get a life, now they on sale
Then I might cast you a spell, look at what came in the mail
A scale and some Arm and Hammer, soul gold grill and some baby mama
Black Cadillac and a pack of Pampers
Stack of question with no answers
Cure for cancer, cure for AIDS
Make a nigga wanna stay on tour for days
Get back home, things are wrong
Well, not really, it was bad all along
Before you left adds up to a ball of power
Thoughts at a thousand miles per hour
Hello, ghetto, let your brain breathe,
Believe there's always more, ahhhhh!
[Chorus: 2X]
[Dre] Don't pull that thang out, unless you plan to bang
[Choir] Bombs over Baghdad!
[Dre] Yeah! Ha ha yeah!
Don't even bang unless you plan to hit something
[Choir] Bombs over Baghdad!
[Dre] Yeah! Uhh-huh
[Big Boi]
Uno, dos, tres, it's on
Did you ever think a pimp rock a microphone?
Like that there boy and we still stay street
Big things happen every time we meet
Like a track team, crack fiend, dying to geek
Outkast bumpin' up and down the street
Slant back Cadillac, 'bout five nigga deep
Seventy-five MC's freestylin' to the beat
'Cause we get crunk, stay crunk, at the club
Should have bought an ounce, but you copped a dub
Should have held back, but you throwed the punch
'Spose to meet your girl but you packed a lunch
No D to the U to the G for you
Got a son on the way by the name of Bamboo
Got a little baby girl four years, Jordan
Never turned my back on my kids, there for them
Should have hit it, quit it, rag top
Before you re-up, get a laptop
Make a business for yourself, boy, set some goals
Make a fat diamond out of dusty coals
Record number four, but we on a roll
Hold up, slow up, stop, control
Like Janet, Planet Stankonia is on ya
Movin' like Floyd comin' straight to Florida
Lock all your windows then block the corridors
Pullin' off my belt 'cause a whipping's in order
I like a three piece fish before I cut your daughter
Yo quiero Taco Bell, then I hit the border
Pity PAT rappers tryin' to get the five
I'm a microphone fiend tryin' to stay alive
When you come to ATL, boy, you better not hide
'Cause the Dungeon Family gon' ride, hah!
[Chorus: 2X]
[Dre] Don't pull the thang out, unless you plan to bang
[Choir] Bombs over Baghdad!
[Dre] Yeah! Ha ha yeah!
Don't even bang unless you plan to hit something
[Choir] Bombs over Baghdad!
[Dre] Yeah! Uhh-huh
[Choir]
Bombs over Baghdad! Yeah
Bombs over Baghdad! Yeah
Bombs over Baghdad! Yeah
Bombs over Baghdad! Yeah
[Dre]
B-I-G, B-O-I
An-An-Andre
To the T-O-P
[Dre and Big Boi: 15X]
Bob your head. Rag top.
(1, 2.. 1, 2, 3, 4) (Gimme some)
[Choir: 23X]
Power music. Electric revival.
The song "Bombs Over Baghdad" by Outkast is a high-energy track that mixes a variety of genres, including hip-hop, rock, and funk. The lyrics are delivered by rappers Andre 3000 and Big Boi, and the chorus is sung by a gospel choir. The song starts with Andre 3000 declaring the group's underground status, using elephant and orangutan metaphors. The lyrics then touch on a variety of topics, including living life on your own terms, the struggle of being a parent, and the fast-paced lifestyle of a touring musician. The chorus warns against violence and encourages positive action, while the final verse is a call to unity for the Dungeon Family (Outkast's collective of artists and producers).
Overall, "Bombs Over Baghdad" can be seen as a commentary on the complex issues affecting black communities in America, from police brutality to economic inequality. The song's blend of musical styles and bold lyrics helped solidify Outkast's place as one of the most innovative and daring hip-hop groups of their era.
Line by Line Meaning
1, 2... 1, 2, 3; yeah!
Let's start this with some hype and energy!
In-slum-national, underground
We represent the underground scene globally
Thunder pounds when I stomp the ground (Woo!)
My presence is felt and heard with every step I take
Like a million elephants and silverback orangutans
My power and strength cannot be stopped
You can't stop a train
I'm an unstoppable force
Who want some? Don't come un-prepared
I'm ready for anyone who thinks they can take me on
I'll be there, but when I leave there
I'll bring the hype and energy, but I won't stick around forever
Better be a household name
I want to make an impact and be remembered
Weather man tellin' us it ain't gon' rain
I'm bringing the heat and nothing can stop me
So now we sittin' in a drop-top, soaking wet
We're living life to the fullest, even in the rain
In a silk suit, tryin' not to sweat
Looking fly but staying cool
Hit somersaults without the net
Taking risks and living life on the edge
But this'll be the year that we won't forget
This is going to be our year of success and memories
One-Nine-Nine-Nine, Anno Domini, anything goes, be whatchu wanna be
It's a new era and we can be whoever we want to be
Long as you know consequences are given for livin'
Our actions have consequences
The fence is too high to jump in jail
The consequences of our actions can lead to being locked up
Too low to dig, I might just touch hell
We're in a tough spot with our choices and actions
HOT! Get a life, now they on sale
Get your life together and don't wait for a sale
Then I might cast you a spell, look at what came in the mail
I have the power to impact people, and I just received something interesting in the mail
A scale and some Arm and Hammer, soul gold grill and some baby mama
Some things that came in the mail, including drugs and a grill, as well as a baby mama
Black Cadillac and a pack of Pampers
I'm living large, but also responsible for taking care of a child
Stack of question with no answers
I have unanswered questions and uncertainty
Cure for cancer, cure for AIDS
We need to find cures for these tragic diseases
Make a nigga wanna stay on tour for days
I'm enjoying touring and don't want to go home
Get back home, things are wrong
There's trouble at home
Well, not really, it was bad all along
Things were bad, but we were just ignoring it
Before you left adds up to a ball of power
Our actions and choices have consequences and power behind them
Thoughts at a thousand miles per hour
Our minds are racing with thoughts and ideas
Hello, ghetto, let your brain breathe,
We're taking a moment to reflect and appreciate where we come from
Believe there's always more, ahhhhh!
We believe there's always more to achieve and accomplish
Don't pull that thang out, unless you plan to bang
Don't start something you can't finish
Bombs over Baghdad!
Things are getting intense
Yeah! Ha ha yeah!
Ha ha, things are getting crazy
Don't even bang unless you plan to hit something
Don't get into something if you're not committed to finishing it
Uhh-huh
I understand what you're saying
Uno, dos, tres, it's on
Let's get this started
Did you ever think a pimp rock a microphone?
Who would have thought a pimp would be a rapper?
Like that there boy and we still stay street
Even though we're successful, we still stay true to our roots
Big things happen every time we meet
Something big always happens when we come together
Like a track team, crack fiend, dying to geek
We're a force to be reckoned with, like a track team or a crack fiend
Outkast bumpin' up and down the street
Our music is being played all over
Slant back Cadillac, 'bout five nigga deep
We're rolling in style, with five people in a Cadillac
Seventy-five MC's freestylin' to the beat
We're surrounded by talented people, freestyling on the beat
'Cause we get crunk, stay crunk, at the club
We party hard at the club
Should have bought an ounce, but you copped a dub
You should have bought more, but you only got a little
Should have held back, but you throwed the punch
You should have thought before you acted
'Spose to meet your girl but you packed a lunch
You're supposed to be spending time with your girlfriend, but you packed a lunch instead
No D to the U to the G for you
You're not cool enough for us
Got a son on the way by the name of Bamboo
I'm about to have a son named Bamboo
Got a little baby girl four years, Jordan
I have a daughter named Jordan who is four years old
Never turned my back on my kids, there for them
I'm always there for my children
Should have hit it, quit it, rag top
You should have enjoyed it and moved on, like a convertible top
Before you re-up, get a laptop
Before you reinvest, get smart and invest in technology
Make a business for yourself, boy, set some goals
Start a business and have a clear direction
Make a fat diamond out of dusty coals
Turn something small and insignificant into something valuable
Record number four, but we on a roll
We're successful and on a streak
Hold up, slow up, stop, control
Slow down and take control of the situation
Like Janet, Planet Stankonia is on ya
We're everywhere, like Janet Jackson and our album Stankonia
Movin' like Floyd comin' straight to Florida
We're moving quickly and recklessly, like Floyd Mayweather on his way to Florida
Lock all your windows then block the corridors
Be careful and protect yourself, even by blocking off areas
Pullin' off my belt 'cause a whipping's in order
You're in trouble and need to be punished
I like a three piece fish before I cut your daughter
I like food, but I won't hesitate to take action when necessary
Yo quiero Taco Bell, then I hit the border
I want Taco Bell and then I'm leaving the country
Pity PAT rappers tryin' to get the five
Pity the rappers who try to be like us
I'm a microphone fiend tryin' to stay alive
I'm a rapper trying to stay relevant
When you come to ATL, boy, you better not hide
Don't come to our city and act scared
'Cause the Dungeon Family gon' ride, hah!
We have each other's backs, no matter what
B-I-G, B-O-I
I'm Big Boi
An-An-Andre
I'm Andre
To the T-O-P
We're aiming for the top
Bob your head. Rag top.
Get into the music and enjoy life
(1, 2.. 1, 2, 3, 4) (Gimme some)
Let's count it down and enjoy ourselves
Power music. Electric revival.
Our music is powerful and a revival of something great
Contributed by Isaac P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@esmereldavillalobos7814
This song has everything: a beat that will kill your grandmother, Insane flows, outstanding guitar shredding, Gospel Choir, a kid named Bamboo.
@brooklynyvette6400
A kid named Bamboo 😂
@gero3015
don't bring my grandma into this
@mybrunetteheart
🙏
@orangefoster2210
She was on her way out anyway, might as well go out with a bang ;)
@kerrymihalik3795
Cure for cancer, cure for AIDS
@nicholasschwear789
This is the song that made me realize why Andre is regarded as one of the best rappers of all time - opened my eyes
@Rattlesnake9585
So true but it's funny you say that on this track specifically cuz imo this is one of Big Boi's best verses
@edgarrivera968
📠
@terrianwilliams2624
@@Rattlesnake9585 everybody sleeps on Big Boi. I just don't get it